Rehabilitation Equipment for James

Hello, all! My name is James Rigal and I was recently in an accident that left me a T-6 paraplegic. Since my injury, I have been constantly attending physical therapy to ensure that I have the highest possible quality of life with my condition. I am interested in maximizing my potential for independence and maintaining a healthy lifestyle through building an at-home rehabilitation gym.

Having equipment available to me at home will be beneficial for me because it helps with many things which include blood flow (to assist in preventing blood clots), bone density (paraplegics are prone to osteoporosis), slowing muscle atrophy, good posture (sitting down compresses the spinal column), and improves digestion. All of these benefits combined will make the transition easier if and when I am able to stand and walk again on my own.

Currently, I am only able to use the equipment available at my physical therapist's office for approximately two hours a week. The benefits listed above can't be maximized unless I am able to do these activities daily, whenever possible. It will also free-up time for me to focus on improving other skills that require a therapist's assistance, such as balance and agility activities, in PT that are critical to achieving my goals towards complete independence, such as going to the pool with my fiancée and friends, driving on my own, playing sports, etc.

I would love to be able to afford these therapy options on my own, but the equipment is not covered by my insurance company, even though it is critical to maintaining a healthy and optimal quality of life. For this reason, I am asking you to help me realize the possibility of having these at-home therapies available to me.